1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to moving items about, and more specifically, to a wheelbarrow-like device to move heavy items.
2. Description of Related Art
Wheelbarrows have been used as far back as the advent of the wheel back to the Stone Age. Many improvements and changes have been implemented into the ordinary wheelbarrow over time. However, even the most improved ordinary wheelbarrow may still have room for improvements. Many of the previous and up-to-date improvements are reflected in the related art.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,804,403 issued to Dowling on May 12, 1931, outlines the use of a loading wheelbarrow with a frame and a body being movable like a scoop. The wheelbarrow is moved into an upright position and the body can be swung about a rear pivot away from the frame. The frame rests on auxiliary wheels, permitting the wheelbarrow to open and to be run along the ground at the base of a pile for gathering all the material into the pile.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,492,157 issued to Riviere on Dec. 27, 1949, outlines the use of a steering mechanism for transporting a vehicle such as a wheelbarrow, where the vehicle may be steered in order to make turns without requiring lateral swinging movement of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,810 issued to Ashworth on Oct. 18, 1966, outlines the use of a dual-purpose attachment for existing mason' wheelbarrows that include an attachment frame for mounting the dual purpose attachment on the wheelbarrow frame. There is also a pair of spaced members on the attachment frame projecting therefrom for engagement with brick bundles and a removable vertically extending wall portion supported by the spaced members, for carrying loose rocks and other similar types of items.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,367 issued to O'Brien on Mar. 11, 1975, outlines the use of a superstructure which is detachably affixed to an ordinary wheelbarrow with four elongated support poles which are clamped to the sloping sides of the wheelbarrow. A basket-shaped net having sloping sides is affixed to the upper portions of the support poles and has a greater volumetric capacity at upper portions relative to lower portions, thereby converting an ordinary wheelbarrow into a vehicle having a high volume capacity for carrying bulky items such as leaves or trash.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,351 issued to Klumpjan on Mar. 2, 1993, outlines the use of a wheelbarrow with an enlarged wheel and a low center of gravity for transporting heavy loads. The enlarged wheel and low center of gravity increases the stability of the wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow includes a payload bucket, which is tiltable for dumping the payload. The bucket is mounted such that the dumping operation is behind the wheel of the wheelbarrow, whereby the dumping operation can be completed without substantially altering the center of gravity of the wheelbarrow, further enhancing the stability of the wheelbarrow when transporting heavy loads.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,315 issued to White et al. on Jun. 7, 1994, outlines the use of a portable wheeled cart for work in yard and garden, which includes a body having a bottom wall and a pair of opposing sidewalls extending upwardly from the bottom wall. The sidewalls include a plurality of open-ended passageways defined therein for receiving the handles of yard tools. In the wheelbarrow position, the yard tools and supplies can be readily transported from one location to another without requiring repeated trips between locations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,421 issued to Godwin on May 16, 1995, outlines the use of a tray device for a wheelbarrow with a bottom surface, a front wall, rear walls and side walls forming an open top. The open top forms a trapezoid having an area greater than the area of the bottom surface, the side walls each forming a trapezium having all sides of unequal length and mounting supports for securing the device to a wheelbarrow when positioned between a pair of wheelbarrow shafts.
Great Britain Pat. No. 158,724 granted to Woods on Nov. 17, 1919, outlines the use of a wheelbarrow whose sides can be lowered outwardly to a level with the floor and whose sides can in some cases be completely detached. The wheelbarrow is specially adapted for carrying trusses of straw and hay, manure, hampers and other material from orchards, fields, roads and other surfaces.
Great Britain Pat. No. 2,315,048 granted to Kempsell et al. on Jan. 21, 1998, outlines the use of a wheelbarrow design with a rotating mountable bucket releasably secured and pivoted at its balance point to a tubular frame which embodies wheels, brakes and a locking mechanism to stop the bucket from rotating when lifting and moving loads. There is also a pulley system to facilitate the rotation of the bucket when emptying loose loads such as sand or stones. A bar allows a user to impart a levered force using his body weight and gravity alone on the load, with a fulcrum also being formed at the axles.
Great Britain Pat. No. 2,363,099 granted to Roddom on Dec. 12, 2001, outlines the use of a wheelbarrow having a main frame with at least one wheel at its forward end and handles at the opposite end. The body of the wheelbarrow is pivotally mounted at its forward end to the main frame so that it may be tipped to discharge a load contained in the wheelbarrow body without tipping the main frame. A sub-frame may be pivotally attached to the main frame to the rear of the wheel axle so as to provide a tipping handle attached to the forward end of the wheelbarrow body and extending to its rear, where it may form a U-shaped handle.
Although each of the discussed patents outline wheelbarrow devices that are novel and useful, what is really needed are some wheelbarrow features that more easily enable a user to carry lengthy and more awkward items with a wheelbarrow. Such features for a wheelbarrow would be welcomed into the marketplace for the broad range of users of wheelbarrows.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.